Where is Control Panel?

You can use Control Panel to change settings for Windows. These settings control nearly everything about how Windows looks and works, and you can use them to set up Windows so that it's just right for you.

Open Control Panel

For Windows 10

In the search box on the taskbar, type control panel, and then select Control Panel.

For Windows 8.1 / Windows RT 8.1

Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Search (or if you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then click Search), enter Control Panel in the search box, and then tap or click Control Panel.

For Windows 7

Click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

Find Control Panel items

When you’re in Control Panel:

Use search. To find a setting you're interested in or a task you want to perform, type a word or phrase in the search box. For example, type "sound" to find specific settings for your sound card, system sounds, and the volume icon on the taskbar.

Browse. You can explore Control Panel by selecting different categories (for example, System and Security, Programs, or Ease of Access), and viewing common tasks listed under each category. Or, under View by, click either Large icons or Small icons to view a list of all Control Panel items.

Tips

If you browse Control Panel by icons, you can quickly find an item in the list by typing the first letter of the item's name. For example, to find Keyboard, type K, and the first Control Panel item beginning with the letter K—in this case, Keyboard—is selected in the list.

You can also use the arrow keys (Up Arrow, Down Arrow, Left Arrow, and Right Arrow) to scroll through the list of icons in Control Panel.